Grindr’s geo-location tag says that he stays three blocks away. For gay men, that’s the same as being next door neighbours. ‘Three blocks?’ one might say, ‘Think of that as three hundred and sixty two meters to someone who could possibly be the next love of your life.’ Any closer, and he could practically duck-walk his way home, in thirty minutes or less. There’s a pizza commercial in there somewhere.

His name flashes on my phone – ‘What are you doing now ‘. Is that a question? Does it have an answer?

What:The Eden Festival – designed as an oasis in the middle of Mumbai and an escape from hectic urban life, The Eden Artfest has set a benchmark for urban music and art festivals. It’s a cultural playground, this one.

Where: Tote On Turf, Mahalaxmi

When: 14th and 15th November, 2015.Why: It combines three of our favorite things – music, art and fashion (and my one-way relationship with alcohol). What else does one want? (red velvet cupcakes, but hey, this is not the time.)

Who needs another reason to go here?

You don’t need to go all the way to Pune for this (cough, cough, looking at you NH7 Weekender.) Book your tickets here.

While everyone in Delhi is going crazy about H&M opening in India, our fashion expert, The Guystyler is obsessing over the ridiculously amazing discounts over on Topman products at Jabong. Here’s an excerpt from his recent preview of the sale:

“Always a personal favorite, I can’t be happier that Jabong’s made TOPMAN go live in India. Their collection here might not be as outrageously cool and funky as it is overseas, but they’ve got the basics covered and that’s what they do best. Here is a list of 5 items that you NEED to buy from the big TOPMAN sale going on at Jabong right now:

Jeans – Where else would you get super comfortable jeans for as low as INR 2022? Topman’s premium quality jeans are on maximum 40% discount and are worth every single rupee. Guess we won’t have to sell that arm and leg after all.

T-Shirts – I have been wearing Topman T-shirts for quite sometime now and I must say that in addition to their quirky designs, the quality is impeccable. In fact, I am wearing one right now while writing this article. With sale prices as low as INR 474, you need to buy one of these. (Or multiple, if you’ve got the space for it in your closet.)

Underwear – A pack of 3 for INR 1000 is not a bad deal at all. Topman’s underwear are super cute, with the brand name printed almost on all of them. What’s better than telling your lover you wear fancy underwear? Telling your lover that you wear fancy Topman underwear.

Sweatshirts– Be it hoodies in various plain colors or printed ones, you know you can count on Topman sweatshirts to keep you warm in this changing weather (If winter ever comes, that is). Hoodies start from INR 1800, and I start from scratch right now.

Now that you know what to buy from Topman, what are you waiting for? Head over to Jabong and make those credit cards weep (or not really.) Don’t know where to go? Well, we’ve got a secret portal right here.

Is ketchup better than mustard? Did man really walk on the moon? How do you eat crème brulee? Will they ever resume Heroes? Should I really have that fourth cup of espresso? What’s eighteen times thirty-two? Are gay men any different than the straight ones? Does true love exist for either?

Like the classical gay stereotype, I might not know the right spoon to eat my crème brulee with, or what colour shirt goes with a leather jacket, but I do know that there never really is only the One. There’s a Two, a Three and a Four, and probably more. It will work out with some of them, and sometimes it will not. (Side note: white shirts work with anything.)

Sounds familiar?

It obviously does, because there really is no difference between gay and straight when it comes to love, sex or relationships – unless you have to think about who fits the bill when things are going so bad, you probably might never ever see each other again.

There’s a definite need to bust the many stereotypes that exist about gay men, and most of them need to be busted like the bell-bottom trend – do we like pink? Is Adele on loop? Are we promiscuous? Do we really lust after our best friend’s boyfriend? Not really, nope, nope and never ever, unless he’s cute and made a pass at us (but then again, never.)

It’s simply rude if you ask gay men questions like these – it’s like asking someone if they’ve ever killed someone or whether they have something stuck between their teeth. Here’s a friendly PSA: Gay men come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. If someone tells you they identify as gay, there’s no need to ask them whether they like Bradley Cooper or Brad Pitt (Cooper, any day). It’s that easy.

But even though we live in a world full of hipsters and millennials, coming out, isn’t easy. In fact, it’s far from the Hallmark movie that I make it out to be – every year, more and more people are pushed back into the closets to rot away with clothes that are too tight, cigarettes that are too damp and love notes that are long forgotten. Every day, more and more gay men are abandoned, disowned and even condemned to hell. Every day, a few more gay men hate themselves for their sexuality, and a few more men shut down these doors to their closets forever.

Blame it on Section 377 or blame it on middle class mob mentality, but it’s almost disheartening that things work this way. Coming out shouldn’t be an ordeal or a celebration; it should be a regular, everyday thing – like flossing your teeth every night, or telling your friends that you are vegan, or don’t like Taylor Swift. (We feel for you, Calvin Harris.)

That’s where the Guysexual comes in. (without any invitations, because invitations are so 2008) Think of this as your quintessential guide to the secret lives of Indian gay men – There might not be a pop culture guidebook to being a homosexual, but there is one to knowing how to behave with one. This is a list of do’s and don’ts and will’s and wont’s for every question you might have regarding the friend gay man (or men) in your neighborhood – how do you decides who plays for the bill at the end of a meal? Do we prefer beer or mimosas? What are the things you should never ever say to someone when they come out? Is it okay to call a woman a fag hag? Do we really like brunch as much as we say we do? Why are all the hot guys gay? Why is it not a good idea to instantly try setting up a new gay friend with the only other gay person that you know?

But more importantly, how about one individually decides not to make homosexuality a big deal? So don’t say ‘something is gay’. Don’t point at someone who dresses differently. Don’t snigger at the guy who doesn’t play cricket. Don’t say that you want a gay best friend because you think it’s cool. Don’t assume. Don’t presume, but most importantly, don’t bully.

Maybe sometime in the future, a month, a year or even a decade – every LGBT person in this country can enjoy the same privileges that a select few do. And maybe, just maybe, it won’t be a privilege, but simply a way of life by then.

– LoveLorn2012
What have all great Romcoms taught us (apart from the fact that bangs are cool, and you will most likely end up with your high school sweetheart)?
That it’s easier to fall in love with the best friend than it is to fit into a size Small during the Zara sale. But then again, life is no Romcom movie. (Least of all like You Got Mail, contrary to popular belief). Falling in love with the best friend is always a tricky thing – how close are the two of you to begin with? Do you watch an occasional movie together? Bitch out the new office intern during lunch hour? Braid each other’s hair while watching late night reruns of Grease? (Just kidding, no one braids each other’s hair anymore.)

Do gay best friends work the same way conventional best friends do? There’s always that thin shroud that cloaks every friend we come in contact with – it’s the diplomatic version of the friendzone, only politer. One minute you are both ogling at that cute boy sitting two tables away from you at the restaurant, and the other you are trying to awkwardly avoid each other. So what do you do if he doesn’t feel the same way?

The thing about great friendships is that they can withstand anything – so if your friend can’t deal with a confession and let it go, he probably wasn’t that great a friend to begin with.